Photographic service-flag.



CHARLES A. BOWMAN, JR., OFPITTSBURGH,

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PHQTGRAPIEEC SERVICE-FLAG.

Specicaticn oi' Letters `Patent.

` Patented Nov.. a, imita..

Application led May 2G,` 1918,. 1` Serial No.` 235,498.

To @ZZ 'a0/wm z'z may concern:

Be it known that l, GHAnLnsA. BowMAN, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPhotographic'ServicefFlaga of `which the :following is a specification,referencebeing had therein x My invention has forits object to produce aphotograph and a mount therefor' having particular' distinguishing tothe photographitself, and.` itsembodiment with `afsupporting andsurrounding whereby to signify certain facts of military or navalservice having a directpersonal relation to the subject of thephotograph.

The .invention has in view to embody wit-.hinthe border or confines of aservice flag of the class represented in Design llPatent No. 51,464 vofRobert L. Queisser, a photographic representation, in star` forni, ofthe person correspondingto the star as a unitary member of the entireemblem. Service flags of the kind referredl to usually consist of acentral rectangular field in white, surrounded by a red. border, andprovided'wlth one or more stars. Ordinarily, these lstars have noespecial otherth'an a numerical one, and myinvention has in View toinvest each` starwith a personal, peculiar and immediately apparentself-evident value, in individualizing and vitalizing the star itself,and with `particular reference to its mounting.

The essential point `otmy invention is the establishment of anindividualized relationship between an individual and one of thenumerically significant indicia, in this case stars of five points.There may be a remote and sentimental significance too in accordancewith the ancient custom or superstition of an individual choosing aparticular star which throughout he might claim as his particularguiding star through life, a custom perhaps referable back to the paganidea of a particular god or tutelary deity, for each individual. Eachstar in the flag is assumed to have a fixed position and each star inthe Hag stands for some individual. To emphasize this individuality ofposition and of personal relationship, li have devised a means ofexpressing such relationship by associating with each star somepersonal, peculiar, unaltera'ble and inaliento the accompanyingdrawing.`

characteristics, as

base,

significance` able characteristic oi' the two `are always together andmustalways be associa-tedtogether in the minds of the public.` The most`strikingly peculiar and distinctive characteristic ot an individual isperson, so that the hisface ora portrait of his face and this is y whatl use.

By this arrangement or combination f of with such, other `incidents`having to r dol with` such personal association as maybe appropriatelyshown in the picture.

ln` my prior` application filed lvliarch 14,

1918, Serial No. 222,473, l have shown and i described my improvedphotographic print and method of making the same, and the sub-``iectmatter of the present application pro-` vides for the incorporationof sucli"aphotographlc print, 1n star form, with a service flag, as acomplete entity.

ticular object in View is to so combine1`Y the photographicrepresentation with theqstar shaped outline and background, that whenprinted fromthe negative thewell`known blue printing process or anyother-.suitable photographic process capable of producing a bluepicture, for reproducing .prints` from` negatives, may be utilized. Bythismeansl provide a composite printhavinga general blue color, thesurrounding background within the boundaries of the star beingpreferably of a deep uniform shade: of blue, and with the photographicrepresentation, as of a head or body or portion thereof, of a lightershade and in relief or contrast from the said background.

ln making the complete picture l utilize the usual photographic methodfor making the negative which is then used in making the print upon thesensitized paper or fabric or other suitable material, which may be thencut out in star form; or the print may be made in connection with theuse of a mask whereby to protect the surrounding sensitized surface soas to leave an outer surrounding body portion of white or approXimatelywhite color.

Either method may be employed, z'. e., the photographic star may be madeseparately and the stanembodied ln making the photographic star, theyparlll) and separately attached to the white eld of the service flag, orthe field itself may be utilized as a printing base, in connection withsuitable sizing and sensitizing material.

In the drawing, which illustrates one preferred embodiment of theinvention, I show in face view a rectangular base of typical serviceflag form, provided with a photo graphic stan Referring to the drawing,2 represents the star base which may be of the regulation or arbitraryshape or form, but which is preferably made with the point portions ofthe star somewhat blunter than usual, whereby to provide a relativelylarge central body portion. f

The portrait 3 preferably occupies such central position, either partlyor entirely, andthe, device as thus made, confined within the edgeportions of the star itself, provides the dark blue background referredtoV and the incorporated portrait or figure, 3, of the same general tintbut somewhat in relief,

lwhereby it easily distinguished from the background. e v

The print as thus made constitutes a sepaate unit, having the arbitraryoutline, embodying the portrait, and is mounted by printing, pasting,sewing or otherwise, upon the fabric constituting the white field 4- oftheservice flag, and within the surrounding red border 5.' p

If desired, the picture may be imprinted directly upon the field of theservice flag in connection with the use of suitable sizing andsensitizing treatment.

' It will also be understood that any number of individual photographicstars of the'kind described may be embodied with a single flag, withinthe limitations of its field, and that their arrangement, location,size, shape, or other details may be varied within the taste and,judgment of the designer without departing from the scope of thefollowing claims.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for desired y ve cents each, byaddressing the Washington, D. G.

It will be observed that while I show a five pointed star, I do not wishto be limited to five points as in some instances for religious or otherreasons I may use a six pointed star or may even conceivably use someother figure. The portrait may be accompanied by other individualizingmarks as for instance the signature, secret society mark or others.

In using the five pointed star I arrange the star with one of the pointsuppermost, and this arrangement aids to a certain extent insynnnetrically positioning the portrait. I Valso carry the idea ofemblematic signification. further. It will be remembered that the bluefeature of the star of the Quesser design is preferably preserved in mystructure, though modified in depth of tone to produce light and shadeeffects.

I carry this idea further, in case of death, the individualized starbecomes golden, and in my flag the golden star is made to carry a goldencolor portrait. A similar edect may be produced when silver stars areused to indicate Wounded or otherwise incapacitated individuals.

1. In combination, a banner 4consisting of a red bordered white fieldwith stars for individuals in said field, each of said stars bearingsome indicia of a character unalterably related to the personality ofthe individual whom it represents, said star and indicia having color toindicate the vital condition of the particular individual associatedtherewith.

2. In combination, a service banner consisting of a red bordered whitefield service flag, blue portrait bearing stars inthe said white field,individual golden portrait bearing stars for the dead, and individualsilver portrait bearing stars for those disabled and incapacitated fromfurther service.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES A. BOWMAN, JR.

Commissioner of PatentsA

